How do the string players know which way to bow?
The stringed instruments are played with a bow that is made of horsehair attached to a length of thin wood. When the hair is drawn across the strings of the instrument, it causes them to vibrate and produce sound waves. In order for all the string players to play together and sound alike, they try to match the direction in which they bow (up or down). During rehearsal, the principal players of each string section will decide how to bow the music. It is then written into the parts. The other musicians also constantly watch the principal players to see how they are playing and try to match them as closely as possible. The result is a unified sound.
